The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-10
MISS BETTY"
The Important Things That Hap
pened to Her.

Of course l can't expect you to love Miss
Betty as did-beautiful little woman with
hersoft blue eyes, silver hair. and smile
as calm and sweet as ever graced the lips
of ''maden LADY, who was far enough
advanced in life to have left the tumult and
restlessness of youth far behind her. After
the confusion and hustle that always
relgned in our household, with papa for
ever busy, the boys coming and going, and
we girls, occupied first with school books,
then with millinery, and all the interests
that keep a family of young people con-
stantly in a state of excitement and COM
motion, visit to Miss Betty in her quiet
home seemed like an entrance into some
cool retreat, where peace and calm and
comfort always dwell.
Only two things had ever really happened
to Miss Betty, and it was not until the
morning of her fortieth birthday that the
second thing happened Had not this great
event occurred should have had no story
to tell-Miss Betty would have been an ex-
ample of those lives, or is it nations2 which
people say are happy in that they have no
history. But in this case tho saying would
have been untrue. Out of that second oc-
currence in her mOnotonOus life. out of the
tumult ard trepidation ushcred in with thut
fortieth birthday has grown-weli, q love
story, which l am determined to spoil by
not telling it properly.
Miss Betty had, of course been born
like other people; she had struggled
through the measles and the mumps, and,
like so many Of the bright, lank and scrag.
gy daughters of our land, at tho age of
nineteen she had developed into q very
pretty young girl. 4,
1t was at this stage OF hcr experience
Gc- Nnt
the event took the shape of n lover John
Mcintosh, Il manly, weil-bred youth OF
twenty-three, the son of o neighborine
farmer, had cast sheep eyes at Miss Betty
during lively evening at singing school
Miss Betty had cast down her eyes anG
blushed furiousiy. But all the same sht
liked to have John look AT her in that way
and John found it out, The result was
that the two young people fell in love will
each other.
Then came the Squire 10 the front. Tn,
Squire was Miss Betty's father. Just wha
had gained him the title it would be dill
cult to say. He owned few more acre,
than any body else within the township
and had once come very near being mad
Justice OF the Peace. Tho distinction real
ly fell to retired physician living in tn
same village, but the title that had grow
Squire Perkins. He himself valued it as
Duke does his strawberry leaves.
When the Squire learned that John Nc
Intosh had actually had the audacity t
fancy that he might be allowed to marr
Miss Betty, his wrath was beyond control
He stormed and he pounded, ne stampe
and he roared There threatened to repea
itself in the old mansion the scene that ha
taken place in Miss Betty's teething days
when the Squire's only son George ha
asked permission to marry dainty littl
blue-eyed girl, the daughter OF o sean
stress. George had stood his ground, pool
'eted mis- fathers curse, and gone proud
forth never to return. Miss Betty wa
made of different material. She wept, u,
cepted the inevitable, and sent two drie
rose buds and three little ill-written note
back to John Mcintosh in sandalwoo
box. He put the box in his pocket, wei
TO the nearest seaport, and shipped II
Shanghai. Then peace returned to u
Squires mansion, and Betty settled calml
down into the business OF becoming an o
maid.
The years came and the years went. II,
features grew sharper, and her hair thinne
there was even u suspicion OF rheumatis
swelling her finger joints. Betty grew oil
giothing happened, and she had begun
1ancy that nothing ever would
There was u slight break in her life OF
day, when a party OF neighbors..came in al
carried the old Squire TO tbs churchyar
slnd laid him by the side of tho wife he b
worried out of existence three months aft
Betty's birth. In many homes q dea
makes great overturning. But in this O
the current OF life was scarcely disturbe
The old Squire had been practically dead
good many years before they laid him In 4
grave. His iron frame had outiived b
mind. Paralytic and helpless, lsotty o.
her one maiu.ofallwork waited ON him II
"a child. He had fallen out OF his place
Gfe; so when his helpless body finally d
appeared nobody missed him much. Bet
kGAd less work to do, and 80 had Maria; b
ofhcrwise her life flowed peacefully q
sstie only became little thinner, her sea
Lbsis little more spsrss, aud tho rhs
npatism in her joints little moro ind
unltable. et. asssr,s.3 IA
Now the second event had arrived. Bet
R;ssped and trembled. After all these yea
~ absolute poace sud quiet, 70 have